Search Results for: dairy school

It is a good idea to keep an open mind, to make changes when new, better ideas present themselves. Some dairy farmers, for instance, wouldn’t consider breeding some of their cows to a beef sire, but others are doing just that and, under the right circumstances, they are finding it to be a successful cross-breeding… Read More

Anaerobic digesters have popped up on farms across Ontario in recent years, but there are none quite like the digester Rob McKinlay has installed at Harcolm Farms at Beachville, Ontario. What makes it unique is its size – at 20 kilowatts, it’s 10- to 20-times smaller than the other 42 digesters currently operating on Ontario… Read More

Do you plant a cover crop before or after you harvest corn silage? It’s an option dairy farmers should consider, says University of Wisconsin Extension crops and soils agronomist Heidi Johnson, especially when planting corn after corn. Removing corn silage and then leaving the ground bare risks soil erosion, decreases microbial activity, and reduces the field’s ability… Read More

Mycotoxin and mould growth in dairy feed can lead to lower milk production, poor animal health and reduced profits. This impact on production is not a new discovery for dairy producers, but there certainly is a growing awareness of the problem, says North Carolina State University professor emeritus Dr. Lon Whitlow. “A large part of it… Read More

What are the keys to making great corn silage? It’s really important to chop the crop at the right time to ensure you get the highest energy level possible,” says DuPont Pioneer dairy specialist Martina Pfister. In this episode of the Dairy School, Pfister explains that many farmers chop their silage too early. “You really want… Read More

Ontario dairy farmers had their first opportunity to plant low-lignin alfalfa in 2016. In this episode of the Real Agriculture Dairy School we visit with Elmira, Ontario, dairy farmer Dale Martin and PRIDE Seeds market agronomist Aaron Stevanus to get the lowdown on low-lignin alfalfa. Martin harvested his first crop HarvXtra low-lignin alfalfa with Roundup Ready… Read More

When Monkton, Ontario-based dairy producers Rick and Theresa Portena planned their recent expansion they decided that a 40-stall herringbone rotary milking parlour would anchor their operation. The Portenas considered milking robots but they’re big fans of parlours. They like to get the milking done as fast and efficiently as possible and they don’t like to… Read More

Dairy farm expansion typically focuses on adding more cows to increase production. That’s certainly the case for Monkton, Ontario-based producers Rick and Theresa Portena, but the Portenas also want a better opportunity to milk cows themselves. In this inaugural episode of Real Agriculture’s Dairy School, the Portenas’ share the strategy on why they invested in… Read More

Lyndsey Smith and Shaun Haney host today’s edition of RealAg Radio, which includes some discussion about the impact of rural school closures in Ontario, farm building code changes in Manitoba, and the effort to bring new farmers into the dairy industry. Shaun is also joined by author Jim Thomas on ‘negotiating to win’ and Peter Johnson wraps… Read More

Dairy farmers who make the switch to robot milkers are very predictable, says Brussels, Ontario farmer Joe Terpstra. When Terpstra and three other dairy producers took to the stage at the 2016 Canadian Dairy XPO to share their experiences with robot milking, all four seemed to be singing from the same songbook. Improved cow health,… Read More

Dairy — milk, in particular — is facing big challenges from the likes of pop companies and juice manufacturers. They’ve marketed their way into the lunch buckets of Canadian children over the years, and taken hold. A study underway now by University of Guelph researchers has found milk is not considered cool by adolescents, one… Read More

After more than five years of negotiations, trade ministers and negotiators in Atlanta announced the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal on Monday morning. Negotiations continued into the night on Sunday, delaying a joint news conference that was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon. According to New Zealand’s trade minister, negotiations on dairy trade only ended… Read More

In 2014 when RealAgriculture visited the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, there were smiles all around from US dairy farmers. But one year later, US$25 per hundredweight milk prices are but a memory. One of the possible remedies to low prices could be greater access to the Canadian market. If there’s truth to reports… Read More

In the cattle industry, interest in new corn varieties stems from a desire to increase efficiency and production, whether utilized as a grain source, ensiled or left standing for winter grazing. Ensiled, corn offers high energy, a key to high milk production. And, although much of a silage’s quality is determined by in-field management, harvest… Read More